Minneapolis daycare vandalized, documents stolen after viral video

FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports on a break-in at a Minneapolis daycare center, alleging the incident occurred in the aftermath of a viral video about fraud allegations targeting Somali-operated facilities in the area.

According to the daycare owner interviewed in the video, an intruder broke into the facility through the back kitchen, allegedly destroying walls and breaking into office doors. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports that important documentation was stolen, including child enrollment records, employee files, and checkbooks. The owner characterizes the theft as targeting sensitive administrative materials.

In the video, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul documents the owner’s account that the daycare has been subjected to hateful messages and threats via voice notes in the days following the break-in, with at least one threatening message arriving on the morning of the incident itself. The owner describes the situation as both “frightening and exhausting,” framing it as part of a pattern affecting the Somali American community.

According to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, the daycare owner attributes the break-in to a viral video making what the owner characterizes as false fraud claims about Somali-operated daycare centers. The owner alleges that this video sparked the vandalism and theft. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul includes the owner’s statement that the video allegedly “engaged everyone else” to target the facility.

The video features the owner emphasizing that there are numerous Somali-operated daycare centers in the area that maintain high-quality standards and serve their community. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul presents the owner’s perspective that the break-in represents a troubling consequence of unverified allegations circulating online about fraud in Somali daycare operations.

In FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul’s Own Words

“Someone came in to our daycare. We looked and saw that the suspect came in from the back, broke in from the back kitchen and destroyed the wall to come in.”

“We’ve been receiving hateful messages through our voice notes threatening us the past couple of days including one that happened yesterday morning when the breakin.”

“It is sad that a video can cause all of this. There are hundreds of daycarees out there, Somali daycarees that are out there and we all help each other.”

The incident raises questions about how viral allegations—particularly those targeting specific ethnic communities—can have real-world consequences beyond the digital sphere. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul’s reporting captures the daycare owner’s concern that unverified claims about fraud can galvanize hostile action against legitimate community institutions, complicating efforts to maintain trust and safety within the Somali American community.